MTB - 26" v 29"??

Bruce

makes it a bit of a no-brainer at the price. That said, bearing in mind what Winky said about 29ers and 700s being the same rim, I might just see if I can get the 2.25" tyres in the forks on my hybrid. They would fit onto my 700 rims, right? Mine's like this with a 25" frame:

Loads of tyre choices but beware that stated tyre widths do tend to be works more of fiction than fact. I'd go to my LBS with the wheel, and ideally the bike and see what they come up with. Try before you buy. You might get away with something softer/higher profile without the extra width.

Bruce

It's no good, I can't do the picture thing despite reading the FAQ.

madasafish, if I may assist. Nice bike.

I have no idea who you are or how you did that but you, sir, are a magician - if a little scary.

The image info is contained in the small blue ? square of the failed attempt. I simply copied the image info and posted it, no magic. Hope you're not too miffed. I like to cycle so was interested to see your bike.

Here's a snap of me and my new [then] Carlton in 1988. Now that's scary.



ATB

George.

not miffed at all, GML. Thanks for the tip.

If we're doing bike porn, here's the road bike:

That's one huge frame !

Yes. You must be a tall fella!

If you are looking for a bike to smooth out the trails without the added expense of full suspension, a 29er would be a great choice. Easier to maintain momentum as well...

Or you could ride on smoother trails!

Aren't 29ers mainly aimed at maintaining the momentum of the cash stream from your wallet in the direction of the bike companies?

I'd argue the opposite can be true in my case, Winky. That's me with the orange sleeves standing on Lindisfarne island with my Gary Fisher and that's my red Cannondale further down (you're right - I'm 6'8").

I'm looking at whether I can fit 29er off-road tyres to the Gary Fisher and interchange between those and the road tyres currently fitted to the 700C wheels. It's a bit of a faff but it would obviate buying a 3rd bike. I also suspect that if I did buy a dedicated MTB, my Gary Fisher would get so little use as to render it redundant.

Apologies to Jonathan, I seem to have hijacked his thread - it's just so nice not to be spitting vitriol about choices of hifi gear.

Thanks all

Mick

Having riddden a 29er on my favourite trails I can see some appeal. It did feel a bit smoother and less 'chattery' and certainly felt impressive down the rough stuff because of that. However it felt clunky and unwieldy compared to my normal MTB and I missed that liveliness and zip a lot.

I'm sure 29ers have some qualities and perhaps it is nice to have a choice to suit how/where you ride but a great part of me is with Winky on this one. A whole new market of 29er bike frames and components mean they are being sold to cyclists as the solution to every MTB question ever asked. I suspect the fashion will change and in future they will remain a minority product.

Bruce

Bruce, do I pick up from your posts that you're also based in Yorkshire? If you get a minute, would you be kind enough to list some of those 'favourite trails', please. Always looking for a nice day out.

Thanks

Mick

Mick

I live between about 7 miles north-west of Skipton. I generally ride from home, often around Malham and Bolton Abbey. email me on brucewoodhouse AT btinternet.com (I think that way of typing it avoids spam or something) if you want to get some more details as I know the bridleways and trails pretty well from years of cycling. Gisburn Forest trail is another option although I'm not a big fan of these artificial routes it is OK now and then.

Generally I ride more on-road than off now.

Cheers

bruce

My post was a bit cheeky. I've not ridden one. I note that a lot of top cross-country racers (even the short girls who look ridiculous) are now on them, which would indicate they are fast.

But there is also probably some pressure from sponsors to ride them. For a while, racers were pressured to ride full suspension by their sponsors. They often just rode them with the rear suspension locked out the whole time, and cursed the ridiculous weight and wobbly, rattly rear end. Although suspension systems have come a long way, you rarely see a top-level cross-country race (very long races, notwithstanding) won on a full suspension bike these days. They have realized winning on a hard-tail sells more bikes than being back in the pack on a full susser. Will it be the same with 29ers? Once the market is saturated/converted, will the racers switch back to 26ers? Or something else? 650b?

My main objection is that they don't just call them 700C bikes. What is an inch, anyway?

In some ways 29ers make a bit more sense with real high end composite frames to minimise the weight penalty.

The one I rode was steel, and felt like it was made from scaffold poles.

Bruce

700C Cross tyres are what you should be looking at. Essentially they're just skinnier 29er tyres. Many options there. It just comes down to adequate frame clearance. A set of cross tyres at the right inflation pressure will let you ride pretty much anything, other than really technical stuff or stupid-fast downhill rough stuff. (Having said that, guys run 'cross bikes in the Test of Metal MTB race in Squamish every year, and they seem to just fine on all of it, even the fast downhill technical sections.)

Winky, I'm looking to join my friends (pictured) on these kinds of trails. It can get a bit muddy in the wet but that's all. If cross tyres are what I need then that will do me.

Thanks

Mick

I'm no expert on the 26 v 29 debate but I have certainly read that the handling feel is quite different and for me I wanted agility and responsiveness and hence went 26"  I suspect that there would be a lot to be said for standardising wheel sizes on 27" or 700c which would of course negatively impact wheel and tyre manufacturers!

Cotic frame has now arrived so just waiting on bike shop to build it up:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-...s/208/p1080753w.jpg/

It's even more orange than I imagined!

Jonathan

A cross bike would be fine on those. No suspension needed, just some fatter tyres (32mm?) running 75psi or so. You'll be faster than an MTB.

Well, it's been a busy few weeks and a hugely exciting watching a bike being born but my Cotic Soul is now here and almost finished bar a few tweaks to geometry (currently waiting on a blue Hope stem set for delivery tomorrow) and also a rear light due sometime this week.  Owens Cycles in Petersfield did a fantastic job of putting everything together with great enthusiasm and advising on tweaks to my desired spec.

A key element for me was to incorporate as much British content as possible so the frame is British Reynolds 853 steel designed by a British designer (but sadly actually made in Taiwan).  The brake levers, hydraulic discs, hubs, headset, seat clamp and stem are all manufactured by Hope Technology in Barnoldswick Lancashire for whom aluminium is an art-form.  The pedals are British too - by DMR in Sussex.  The saddlebag is a Carradice Nelson Longflap saddlebag manufactured in Nelson, Lancashire and I even specified a Squire lock and anchor-point, both made in Birmingham.  Finally the cyclecomputer is a Raleigh!  Sadly I have had to change the Hope seatpost (no layback) and the Brooks (Birmingham) Conquest saddle which was on my old bike because neither enabled me to get the saddle sufficiently far back on the frame for a comfortable position so both these components are now Crank Brothers made by our friends in the USA.   

It's not totally British of course - the tyres are Continental (German), the rims - French on the grounds that the Mavic rims on my tourer have served me well for some 17 years and there is of course the obligatory Shimano gearing.

Especially for Bruce but also for anyone else that may be interested I thought it may be worth me posting a handful of pictures of the resulting bike.  It is early days but I have been thrilled with the ride feel which far surpasses my previous aluminium hardtail MTB.  It feels very lively and communicative, yet more secure on treacherous terrain.  

Jonathan

Oh yes, very sweet. The time and effort on the details really shows.

One quick thing-get some frame protection tape under those cables (especially the braided ones) or they will shred your paintwork in a flash.

Must admit I stick strips of it in quite a few other places on my MTB-such as around the chainstays, underside of the main tube, rear surface of the seat-tube etc to protect from stone chips and scratches. The thin stuff is really hard to see if applied carefully, it takes a bit of practice (and a slick of detergent solution) but not that difficult. Look on Ebay for helicopter tape or frame protection tape. the really thin stiff is sold in sheets sometimes.

Bruce

Never underestimate SPAM -